


Three Times Zuko Tried to Propose and the One Time He Did

by Pretzle05



Series: If I Could Tell Him [3]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, I Just Want to Give Him a Good Family, I'm Bad At Summaries, I'm Bad At Tagging, Let Him Have That, Marriage Proposal, Meeting the Parents, Mild Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-12
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:47:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26976097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pretzle05/pseuds/Pretzle05
Summary: Proposing is never an easy task, even moreso when you're an awkward Fire Lord who's bad with words...
Relationships: Zuko (Avatar)/Reader
Series: If I Could Tell Him [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1865815
Comments: 14
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hahahahahahahahahahah I know I was supposed to have this out like last month but life has been insanely busy lately and I just never got around to it! I'm so sorry! Nevertheless, I hope you all enjoy! Please let me know what you think down in the comments below! Thanks for reading!

Zuko was completely in love. Ever since Y/N had (literally) crashed into his life (or, well, the forefront of his life) two years ago, things had been nothing but blissful. Of course, their relationship wasn’t perfect, but arguments were few and far between, and Zuko found that he had never been so happy in all his life than in the time was with her. And after almost a year and a half of courtship, he knew he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He didn’t have a very good track record with making decisions, but for once in his life he knew this was one he wouldn’t regret: he was going to ask Y/N to marry him.

Now, he wasn’t concerned about Y/N being a servant—even if the nobles didn’t understand, there wasn’t anything they could do to stop him. And there was _nothing_ anyone could do that would stop him from marrying the love of his life (well, er, unless she said no, of course). However, what he _was_ concerned about was her parents. Zuko’s familial relationships were… less than ideal, to put it lightly, but Y/N was _extremely_ close to hers. Her parents were very important to her, and he felt it would be disrespectful to both them and her if he did not first ask them before proposing.

He would have been lying if he said that he wasn’t absolutely terrified as he stood outside the door to their room in the servants’ quarters, trying desperately to muster up the courage to just knock already. He knew that they were there, it being a bit later in the evening and past the time when their shifts ended, and Y/N told him that they very rarely went on evening outings. He had taken care to dress nicely, but without any of the usual royal fanfare. He didn’t want them to see him as the Fire Lord, but as he really was—just a man who was hopelessly in love with their daughter, who wanted their permission to ask to marry her.

He took a deep breath to calm some of his nerves, gathered his courage, and finally knocked. After a few moments, the door opened, revealing Y/N’s father, who gasped immediately upon seeing Zuko, his eyes widening to the size of dinner plates.

“Honey?” came a female voice from inside. “Who is it?”

But he didn’t respond to her, instead dropping into a _low_ bow, his nose practically touching the floor. “F-Fire Lord Zuko! T-to what do we owe the honor of your presence at our door?”

“Wait, the _Fire Lord?!”_ Y/N’s mother came into view, gasping and dropping into a bow as well. “M-My Lord! W-we weren’t expecting you! Is something wrong?”

Zuko had to resist the urge to cringe at their formality. He already wasn’t a fan of it, but it felt even more wrong coming from _them,_ from the people that he was intending to get down on his knees for and beg for their permission to marry their daughter if necessary. He waved his hands, shaking his head. “No, no, nothing’s wrong. There’s, uh, no need for all of that, please stand up. This isn’t a professional matter, I just, uh, needed to talk to you both.” Damn it. He’d wanted to sound humble yet confident, but it looked like his nerves were already getting the best of him. Maybe it would get them to stop treating him so formally, though.

They both righted themselves upon his request, matching expressions of surprise and confusion etched onto their faces. Y/N’s mother spoke up. “S-speak to us? If you don’t mind my asking, My Lord, what ever could it possibly be that you’d need to speak to _us_ about?”

“It’s a, um…” Heat rose to his cheeks. _‘Fuck, keep it together.’_ “…personal matter. Is now a good time? Could I come in?”

“O-oh, of course, My Lord!” Y/N’s father exclaimed, quickly stepping to the side and pulling out a chair at their humble dinner table in the center of the room. Did all the servants have such cramped living quarters? He’d have to look into fixing that.

He entered the room, giving them a gracious smile. “Thank you. But, uh, please, sit down. I am in _your_ home after all.” He let out a weak chuckle, dampened by his nervousness. Spirits, his heart was already beating so fast, how the hell did he think he was going to be able to propose? “And, please, just call me Zuko. Like I said, this is a personal matter.”

They both looked stunned, and the similarity to when he had asked Y/N to call him by his first name almost made him laugh. Almost. He remained standing, refusing to sit until they confusedly stumbled to their own chairs. When they were both seated, he smiled and sat down himself. He bowed his head in thanks. “Thank you for allowing me into your home. It is an honor.”

At this point, shock and confusion had just melded into the background ambiance of the room, so palpable you could’ve scooped it up with a spoon. After a few long moments of stunned silence after he raised his head, Y/N’s father cleared his throat, adjusting his glasses. “W-well then, My—I mean, Zuko.” His voice was quiet, tentative. “What is it that you need to speak with us about? We promise to offer as much assistance as we can with whatever it is you need.”

Zuko sighed, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. How the hell was he going to do this? He didn’t want to shock them too badly, but he didn’t think it would be possible to ask what he needed to without it. It seemed like blunt would have to do. He swallowed down the lump in his throat and met their eyes. He willed his tone to be even. “First of all, I want to make it clear to you, Mr. and Mrs. Y/L/N, that I come here to you today not as a Fire Lord, but as a man. A young man who needs to ask you something very important. But I don’t want your judgement to be clouded by my position as Fire Lord. I want you to be completely honest with me about your true thoughts on the matter, because like I said, this is _extremely_ important.”

Their confusion only deepened, as evident on their faces. There was a long minute of silence before Mrs. Y/L/N quietly said, “Y-yes, of course. What is it you need to ask us?”

He took a long breath. He’d prepared his speech for hours, and hopefully his sincerity showed through his words. _‘Here goes nothing.’_ “It may shock you to hear this, but… I am in love with your daughter.” The complete and utter _shock_ on their faces almost made him pause, but he needed to trudge on, needed to get all of this out. “We have been seeing each other for the past year and a half. I am deeply sorry for the secrecy, but we both thought it’d be best if as few people knew about our relationship as possible, so that Y/N wouldn’t have to face the scrutiny that comes from being with me publicly. But…” He took another breath, bracing himself. “I would like to change that.” He rose from his chair, instead opting to kneel down on the ground in front of them, his forehead touching the floor. He heard Mrs. Y/L/N gasp. “Sir, Ma’am, I would do _anything_ for Y/N. She is the light of my life, and I love her like I’ve never loved anyone or anything ever before. She is everything to me. And that is why I have come here before you today to humbly ask for your permission to ask her to marry me. I promise I will give her a good life—one filled with warmth and love and all the comforts money can buy. I will do my very best to make her happy, just as happy as she has made me. I swear on my life and on my honor as a man that I will do everything in my power to be the husband she deserves, if only you’d allow me the opportunity to ask her to be my wife.”

He didn’t look up at them yet, he couldn’t. Not when his heart was beating so fast and he was so afraid of seeing disapproval on their faces. His voice lowered, and he sounded painfully vulnerable even to his own ears. “I know I am not the most noble man in the world, and that I am no where near deserving of her. But I love Y/N, with all my heart and with all my soul. So _please,_ give me the chance to have her as my wife, if she will have me as well.”

Silence. Deafening, painful silence. Obviously, this was a lot for them to process, but Zuko couldn’t help the twinge of fear that rose to his throat at their lack of response. He remained kneeling with his head to the ground. A gentle hand fell on his shoulder, making him jump slightly and look up to meet Mrs. Y/L/N’s gentle, understanding eyes. “Please, get up, child. There’s no need for that. Come sit with us.”

Now it was his turn to be shocked. He didn’t totally know what he expected Y/N’s parents to be like, but it certainly wasn’t this—this kind, this understanding. Maybe that was just his own experiences clouding his perception, though. But the soft, sympathetic look Mrs. Y/L/N was giving him actually sort of reminded him of his own mother. He did as she asked, rising to his feet and sitting back down at the table with them. They still hadn’t given him an answer, so despite Mrs. Y/L/N’s kind gesture, he was still anxious.

Once Mrs. Y/L/N returned to her seat, she pinned him with a gaze that seemed to penetrate deep into his very soul, kind but intense. It made him squirm. “Young man,” she said. “I certainly hope you don’t mind me calling you that, right?”

He quickly shook his head. “N-no, no, no, not at all. Go ahead.”

She nodded once, more to herself than anything. “Good, good. Because young man—” There was that look again, straight into his eyes. Then a pause. And a terrified heartbeat. Then a warm, inviting smile. “I would be happy to welcome you into our family.”

He let out a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. “Oh spirits, thank you, _thank you so mu—"_

She raised a finger, cutting him off. “Just let me say one thing. You are very right to say that this has been… shocking news. I never would have guessed it—never would have even _imagined_ it in my wildest dreams. But young man—” She smiled again, her eyes crinkling with warmth. “I can definitely say that I have never seen Y/N so happy in all her life than in the past year and a half. I’ve been trying to wrack my brain to come up with some possible explanation, but now I have strong reason to believe that it’s because of you. If you love her as much as you say you do, then I trust you’ll be good to her. You will, won’t you?” She raised an eyebrow, not accusingly, just genuinely seeking confirmation.

He replied faster than lightening. “Yes. Yes, of course. I will do everything I possibly can to make sure she’s safe and happy.”

She smiled once more, seemingly satisfied with that answer. “Then I don’t believe there’s anything else for us to discuss.” Her eyes softened. “I have known you since you were an incredibly small child, Zuko, and I can say with confidence that you have grown into a fine young man. You have my blessing.”

He was so relieved he felt like he could have cried. But he needed to keep it together. Especially considering he only had _one_ parent’s approval—Mr. Y/L/N had yet to give him a response. “Thank you so much, Ma’am. I… I am honored.” He then turned a tentative eye towards Mr. Y/L/N, finding his face to be almost completely blank. Not a whisper of his thoughts could be read on his face, which caused any relief Zuko had from Mrs. Y/L/N’s blessing to completely evaporate. He needed _both_ of their permission, otherwise it would still be a betrayal to propose. He at least had the benefit of Mrs. Y/L/N knowing him when he was young, but he didn’t think he had ever even _seen_ Mr. Y/L/N before now, maybe once or twice with his mother. But he didn’t know him like his wife did.

He waited with bated breath for his reaction, his heart pounding a mile a minute. Mr. Y/L/N finally let out a long breath, leaning forward onto his elbows on the table as he massaged his temples, slightly knocking his glasses askew. After a moment, he righted himself and readjusted them. He folded his hands on the table and pinned Zuko with a serious look that made him want to shrink into himself. But his voice wasn’t unkind when he said, “Young man, this is… a lot to take in. Oh, how di I put this?” He took a breath and thought for another moment that felt like agony to Zuko. “I respect you as my Lord. I believe that you have done many great things for this nation and I believe that you will do many more. You have provided my wife and I with jobs even though your parents are no longer here for us to serve. For that, I am in your debt. However…” Zuko swallowed thickly as Mr. Y/L/N took another pause. He pushed his glasses further up his nose and stared him down with that unreadable look. “It is my understanding that the Fire Lord is not here asking to marry my daughter. And while I hold great admiration and respect for the Fire Lord, I am afraid I know nothing about _you.”_

“I-I understand your apprehension, Sir, but I swear to you I—”

He gave him a kind smile. “Now, now, young man, don’t sound so frightened. I’m not finished. While I may not know you very well now, there will always be time to get to know you. Especially if you plan on being my son-in-law—our family spends a lot of time together.” He gave a light chuckle.

Zuko’s heart soared. “Does that mean…?”

He nodded, a gentle smile on his face. “Yes, young man. I share my wife’s sentiment—I have never seen my daughter so happy with her life than she has been this past year and a half. And as a father, all I really want for my little girl is for her to be happy, healthy, and safe. And as long as you can provide those three things for her, then I see no reason why I shouldn’t give you my blessing.

Now Zuko really felt like he could cry. His chest was so alight with joy, and the biggest grin he could muster was plastered on his face. “Thank you, _thank you_ Sit! I promise I will do right by her; I’ll do everything I possibly can to do right by her. Thank you! Just… _thank you so much.”_

Mr. Y/L/N had a warm look in his eyes as he smiled at him. “You are very welcome, my boy. But please—” He grinned. “If you plan on joining our family, call me ‘Father.’”

And that’s when he started to choke up, happy, overwhelmed tears stinging his eyes. But he did his best to hold it together. That didn’t stop the crack in his voice, though, as he said, “Of course, F-Father.”

* * *

Zuko didn’t know much about romance, but after a year and a half of dating Y/N, he liked to think he had a pretty good grasp on the kind of things she liked. As much as she got all embarrassed when he spoiled her, he knew that deep down, she loved it. It made her feel important, special. So it was with that knowledge (and some advice from Uncle Iroh) that he decided to invite her for a fancy, private dinner and propose to her there. He knew that she wouldn’t like going out to a fancy restaurant (her experiences with high-society establishments were not very positive), so he was just going to set everything up in the dining hall at the palace. It was a risky move, but he figured that if she said yes, then the rest of the palace would have to get used to seeing them together for personal reasons sooner or later. He just hoped he was able to convince her.

He had the kitchens go all out for tonight. All of her favorite foods and desserts would be piled high before her for her enjoyment. If there was anything in his life that he needed to9 go absolutely _perfectly,_ it was this. Obviously, he hadn’t told the kitchen staff what the occasion was for such a fest, but they were definitely aware that something _very_ important was going on.

Y/N was quite surprised when he invited her, and with good reason. Out of fear of being found out, they never ate dinner together, instead opting for the more casual breakfast and lunch dates due to how much easier it was for them to be sly about it (since she usually brought him his food anyway and he normally took those meals in his study, away from prying eyes). She was very concerned about how public it would be to eat in the dining hall together, but he reassured her that it would all be fine.

So there they sat, on either side of the ornate table with delicacies lined up as far as the eye could see. Y/N was absolutely flabbergasted (in a good way, though), and it made Zuko smile to see the way her eyes lit up in delight. “Oh Zuko! This is wonderful! But, um, what’s the occasion? I don’t think it’s our anniversary quite yet…”

He chuckled lightly. “No, it’s not. Do I need a reason to spoil you?”

She flushed beautifully, looking down and pushing the food on her plate around with her chopstick. “N-no, I suppose not…”

By the spirits, she was just too cute. That blush was going to be the death of him one day.

As they continued eating, Zuko’s mind was going wild, his heart racing. He had everything planned out, but luck never seemed to be on his side in that regard. What if he forgot what he was going to say? What if he forgot the _ring_ (though a quick check of his pocket swiftly assuaged that fear)? What if… what if she said no?

No, no, he couldn’t think like that. He had to be confident, had to believe that she would say yes. But try as he might, he couldn’t manage to completely snuff out that twinge of fear.

Dinner was going off without a hitch, and now that things were winding down and they were starting to finish off their desserts he knew he needed to make his move. He took a long breath. _‘It’s go time.’_ He rose from his seat in order to slide into the one beside her. He wrapped his arm around her and tugged her in close, pressing a sweet kiss to her forehead. She giggled. “Why hello there. What’s all this about? Something wrong with your other seat?” She snuggled into his side, winding her arms around his waist and nuzzling her face into the side of his neck.

He couldn’t help the warm smile that grew on his lips. “No, nothing like that. Just wanted to be close to you.”

She hummed, content. “You’re always so warm, Zu. Honestly, I could just fall asleep right here.” The yawn that left her only served to prove her point.

As much as he was enjoying being used as her personal pillow, he really needed her to stay awake so he could, you know, actually propose. He couldn’t help but be amazed at how she managed to be so relaxed and content when he was practically sweating bullets, his heart beating so fast he was almost certain she could hear it. But if she could, she didn’t make any indication of it. He needed to get ahold of himself, remember what he rehearsed. The ring box felt like it was burning a hole in his pocket, heavy and demanding.

After he asked, everything would change. If she said yes, then he’d be the happiest man in the world and their relationship would go public and they’d be married and she would be the Fire Lady and the people would love her he just knew it, even if it came as a shock at first. There’d be no more sneakily hidden kisses in shaded corridors or closers, no more slipping into his room in the middle of the night just to have some time together, and no more rushing out of his arms after their late-night rendezvous, desperate to not be seen leaving his chambers first thing in the morning. No. If she said yes, then it wouldn’t matter who saw them together, he could wrap an arm around her waist or hold her hand or press a kiss to her forehead freely if he wanted to, no damage done to either of their reputations. If she said yes, then he could hold her in his arms all night long and wake up to her beautiful sleeping face every morning.

And even if she said no, things would still change, even if she didn’t want to break up with him. Things would be tenser, less harmonious. If she didn’t want to get married, but she knew that he did, then there would be much more strife—a conflict of interests. He prayed to every spirit he could name that that wouldn’t come to be, but it was possible.

But what he knew for certain was that he’d never know if he didn’t just man up and pop the question. So he took a long breath and swallowed thickly, gathering all the courage he could muster and pushing down all the nerves and anxiety that had wound itself into a tight bundle in his chest. He cleared his throat. “So, um, Y/N. There actually _is_ a, uh, reason why I set all this up for us tonight. There was no response, so he just went on. “You see, I… I wanted tonight to be special because I, uh, have something very important that I would like to ask you.”

Still no response.

“Y/N? Are you listening?” He finally glanced over at her to find that she had, in fact, fallen asleep, her face nestled into the side of his neck and her arms wrapped loosely around his middle as her chest rose and fell with her deep, even breaths. He couldn’t very well ask her _now,_ one had to be conscious in order to accept (or decline) a marriage proposal. And while he was a little irked that he hadn’t been able to ask today, he couldn’t stay upset for long as he gazed at her sweet sleeping face as she clung to him.

He sighed, a bittersweet smile on his lips. _‘Oh well. There’s always tomorrow.’_

* * *

Unfortunately, he didn’t get the chance to ask her that very next day, but he _did_ four days later. Since the whole fancy dinner thing was sort of a bust, he decided it’d be best to try out something else. Something romantic. And after another trip to Uncle Iroh, he had the _perfect_ plan.

He put together a little picnic, and at sunset he was going to take her off to this little hill overlooking the palace. It was quiet and secluded and beautiful and it would be a perfect evening. And after they ate and watched the sunset for a little while then he would get down on one knee and ask her to marry him and she would (hopefully) say yes and then he’d be the happiest man in the world.

Y/N was a little confused when he invited her to go out with him in the evening, especially since they just had a date earlier in the week, and they never went out when it was late—too suspicious looking. But he assured her that everything would be fine, he just had a little surprise for her. She still seemed a little apprehensive, but her curiosity won out in the end and she agreed. So he snuck her out of the palace off to the prepared spot to begin setting his plan in motion. She smiled warmly when she saw the blanket and picnic basket already laid out on the grass. “Oh, Zu, how sweet. Thank you, love.” She reached up and left a sweet peck on his cheek, causing a bit more heat to rise to his face than he’d like to admit.

“You’re welcome. Shall we?” She nodded, and they sat down on the blanket. He pulled out a few snacks from the basket, along with a bottle of champagne and two glasses. He poured the champagne, handing one of them to her.

She grinned as she took it, taking a sip. “Ooohh, fancy. What’s the occasion?”

He played it off as casually as he could. “Oh, nothing. Just, uh, wanted to do something a little special, is all.”

She raised an eyebrow, her grin becoming more of a playful smirk. “If I recall, didn’t you ‘just want to do something a little special’ just the other day?” But before he could fumble for some kind of excuse, she chuckled warmly. “But you know what, I’ve got food, champagne, a sunset, and some quality time with my favorite person, so I think I’ll let it be, just this once.”

He let out a quiet sigh of relief. He grinned back at her, taking a drink from his own glass. “So I’m your favorite person?”

The light may have ben dim, but he could still make out the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks even as she nodded decisively. “Of course. We _are_ dating after all. Who else would it be?”

He rubbed the back of his neck, face warming as he grew bashful. “I dunno. I mean, your parents are pretty cool.”

“You know my parents?”

Shit. Gods, he was a fucking _moron. ‘Quick, come up with something before the silence becomes suspicious!’_ “Oh, uh, I wouldn’t say that I _know_ them, per se. But I’ve, uh, met them before. You know, in passing. They’re good people. And your mom _did_ use to be my personal attendant, even if it was a really long time ago.”

She seemed satisfied with that answer, thankfully. She smiled softly and turned to look at the sunset, her glass against her lips. She looked so very _radiant_ in that moment that it took nearly all Zuko had not to pop the question right then. But no. It had to be at just the right time. He had waited this long—he could spare another half-hour or so.

Around a half-hour later and the snacks had all been eaten and the champagne drunk, leaving the two of them with a pleasant buzz of mild inhibition (he had an ulterior motive for bringing the alcohol; he figured he could use as much courage as he could get, liquid or otherwise). They had moved the picnic basket off to the side and were now occupying its previous spot in the middle of the blanket, snuggled against each other as they gazed out at the quickly fading light of the horizon. It was a peaceful moment, but Zuko couldn’t help the way his heart pounded in his chest as time went on, drawing ever nearer to the moment where he’d need to propose. He was determined to do it tonight, despite his nerves, and the time he had to accomplish that goal was quickly dwindling. Especially since the later it got, the greater of a chance there was for Y/N to fall asleep on him again.

She nuzzled her head into his neck, letting out a contented sigh that made him smile. “It’s so beautiful. I just love spending time with you like this, Zu. Thank you.”

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. “I do too. With you, I mean.” _‘Now, **now.** This is the **perfect** moment. Get your shit together and ask her **now!’**_ He took a deep breath, swallowing down the lump of anxiety that had formed in his throat. It was now or never. “A-actually, Y/N? There’s, uh… something I’ve been wanting to ask you…” He began to slowly reach into his pocket as slyly as possible.

She looked up at him with inquisitive eyes, her head tilted ever-so-slightly to the side like a puppy, which he found immensely endearing and adorable. “Yes? What is it? You can ask me anything.”

He could feel his face begin to burn, and he prayed that he’d be able to get all the words out. “W-well, it’s just that… we’ve been together for a while now, right?”

She nodded, a soft smile playing on her pretty lips. “Yes, a little over a year and a half, if I recall.”

“Yeah, right. So, I was, uh, wondering if maybe you’d want to… i-if you’d consider…” His hand finally reaching his pocket, reaching for the ring box, only to find… nothing. There was nothing in his pocket. Not even a speck of lint. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. A white-hot spear of panic shot through him, burning more painfully than any lightening he’d ever redirected. **_Fuck,_** he forgot the _fucking **ring!?!?!?!**_ The **_RING._** The single most important component in any proposal (well, besides a desire to get married, but that was besides the point!) Fuck fuck fuck fuck _fuuuuuuuuuuck._ Damn it all straight to hell now he remembered—he must’ve been so worried about making sure all the picnic stuff was set up that he accidentally left it in his desk drawer! Oh spirits he was _so_ fucked; he’d already started asking!!!!! But?!?!? He had?!?!?! No ring?!?!?! What the _fuck_ was he going to say to get himself out of this?!?!?!

Her gently curious voice snapped him out of his thoughts, but looking into her eyes only made more panic bubble up in his chest, his mouth drying out more than a desert as it opened and closed like a dying fish, no sound coming out. Some sort of strange, choked noise left him before he cleared his throat, grinning nervously as beads of sweat formed on the back of his neck. “Iiiiiiiiiiiif you’d ever consider…… doing this again sometime…! H-having more dates like this…! Outside of the palace…!” Shit that sounded bad even to his own ears. But it was all he had, so he prayed it would work.

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “Oh, um, yes…? That sounds lovely. But, um, are you sure that’s all you wanted to ask me? You looked like you had a lot on your mind.”

“Noooooooooooo, that was it…! B-but that’s great…! I’ll be, uh, looking forward to more evenings like this…!”

She regarded him curiously, still very obviously suspicious of his strange behavior (which he couldn’t blame her for, he was acting like a total moron), but by the grace of the spirits she didn’t press the issue any further. “Okay. Me too. Just, uh, know that you can tell me anything, okay Zu?”

And _fuck,_ he felt _so bad_ for forgetting the ring as he looked down at her gently concerned face. She was worried about him and it was all because he was the biggest _dumbass_ on the planet and had forgotten to bring the ring to his marriage proposal. _Spirits,_ he was going to kick the shit out of himself for this later, he felt like a jackass. A very, very, very _stupid_ jackass. But he forced a comforting smile onto his face as he gave her arm a quick squeeze. “I know. I’m okay, I promise, that was it. Would you like to start heading back?”

“Okay…”

He stood and offered her his hand. They gathered up the blanket and the basket and began to make their way back to the palace together, Zuko viciously berating himself in his mind the whole way. _‘Mental note: next time you try to propose, try and remember to bring the **fucking ring.’**_

* * *

Okay, the first two attempts hadn’t gone as planned, but now Zuko _knew_ he would succeed. After everything that had gone wrong when he tried to do something super special, perhaps to would be better to keep things simple. Just a normal date. Maybe that would be better, even, just taking a normal event and making it special that way—just asking as they are. No fanfare, no occasion, just them together. Plus, keeping it simple would eliminate the number of factors that he’d have to keep track of, thus making it less likely for him to forget something important again.

So about a week after his second attempt, he invited her to take a little walk around the gardens with him after breakfast (he couldn’t ask too soon, he didn’t want her catching on and suspecting something). She gladly accepted, and they made their way to the gardens for a while. He had made it clear to his guards and advisors that he was not to be disturbed during this time (it would _not_ do to be in the middle of proposing and have some courier or envoy rush out into the courtyard to usher him away to an impromptu meeting or something). Everything was going to be fine. Without the extra fanfare of trying to make it a special occasion, he felt a lot less pressured (but that didn’t stop him from still being a bit nervous, though).

With the security of solitude, they felt free to express their affection openly. So he held her hand tightly in his, their fingers laced between each other and palms pressed together. He found the contact comforting, grounding. He could do this. This was where he was meant to be. He wanted to marry her so badly—he just _knew_ that it was what he was meant for. And he knew that she loved him. And if she loved him, and she understood, and she felt the same way, then there was no reason to worry or be nervous at all. The realization brought a sense of peace to him, and he felt the urge to squeeze her hand a little tighter. It was still a daunting task, but he felt a bit more equipped to face it now.

She gave his hand a little squeeze in return, bringing him out of his thought to look down at her. She had a soft smile on her face. “What was that for? I swear, you’ve been all over me lately.” Her cheeks flushed slightly and she looked away with a small smile. “Not that I have any complaints.”

He smiled as well, warmth blooming in his chest. “No reason. I just… I’m really happy to be with you like this today.”

The sweet pink dusting across her face deepened to more of a rose color. She glanced about warily before taking a tentative step closer to him, wrapping herself around his arm and snuggling into his side. “I’m happy too.”

Her affection brought a smile to his face and tender warmth to his heart. But it was dulled slightly by the twinge of sadness that coursed through him upon seeing her hesitance. He hated that they always had to be so vigilant, so conscious of their surroundings so as to make sure that their moments of tenderness remained unseen. He knew that it weighed on her too, probably even more so than it did on him because she would feel the consequences far more than him if their relationship went public. He couldn’t stand the possibility of her suffering because of him. And that was why he needed to ask her to marry him—so they could be _really_ together. So they could hold hands in the garden without having to check if anyone was watching.

He took a deep breath, but he found that he really wasn’t all that scared anymore. He squeezed Y/N’s hand and stopped walking, prompting her to look up at him curiously. “Everything okay, Zu?”

He smiled at her lovingly. “Yes. Everything’s… _great,_ actually.” He let out a little breathless laugh. He turned to face her fully, unlatching her arms from around his and taking her hands in both of his. “Y/N, I love you.”

“I… love you too. What’s this about? You’re awfully serious all of a sudden. You sure you’re okay?”

“Yes,” he said, dead serious. “Yes, I’ve never been better.” He took another long breath. “Because, Y/N, there’s something I’ve been really wanting to ask you.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Really? What is it? You’re kind of freaking me out.”

“No, no, no, don’t worry, it’s nothing bad.” He took another deep breath, reaching his hand into his pocket and grabbing the ring box. He swallowed. “Y/N…” He looked deep into her eyes and began to lower himself onto one knee. “Will you—”

“Oh my spirits, it’s Aang!!!!!!” She removed her hand from his to point wildly up at the sky, grinning like a lunatic. Zuko blinked. Sure enough, when he looked up into the clouds, there was Appa flying overhead. In fact, it looked like he was about to land, sweeping down to the back of the palace where the stables were. Y/N turned to him, practically glowing with happiness and bouncing with excitement. “Zuko, Zuko, it’s Aang and Appa! They’re here! Oh spirits what a wonderful surprise! We have to go greet them!” Without waiting for him to react, she sped off into the palace.

Zuko stared after her, blinking in bewilderment. Then, when what had just happened finally sank in, he groaned in frustration, burying his face in his hands. Spirits damn it all he was _so fucking close!!!!_ And then stupid Aang had to swoop in with his stupid oblivious face and ruin everything! It was just like the beach incident! Only this time was far worse because instead of just interrupting an almost-kiss he’d barged in on _his fucking marriage proposal._ He cursed Aang with every fiber of his being.

Well, that was that. Fuck. Another attempt completely gone to shit. Well, he should probably go greet Aang, no matter how badly he wanted to wring his neck right now. He sighed heavily and stood up, pocketing the ring, to go follow Y/N to the stables.


	2. Chapter 2

Y/N couldn’t deny that Zuko had been acting very strange lately. Don’t get her wrong, she loved spending so much time with him, but he seemed stressed about something. Frustrated. But for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out why. Nothing particularly taxing or stressful had happened with his work recently (well, no more than normal). She was perplexed. So, she had the kitchens whip up a few fruit tarts, and she planned on asking him what was troubling him over a little evening snack.

Despite the ulterior motive, she was still quite excited to go see him (especially because there were fruit tarts involved). She was practically skipping as she made her way up to his chambers, humming a happy tune. In fact, she was so lost in her thoughts that she failed to notice another servant turning the corner, ramming straight into her.

Y/N toppled to the floor, the tray of tarts clattering against the tile. She blinked up at the maid she had collided with. “Oh my spirits, I am _so sorry,_ I totally did _not_ see you there I’m so sorry I’m such a klutz sometimes ple—”

Her frantic apology was cut off by the maid scoffing. “Oh no, of course, don’t mention it,” she sneered, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “It’s not like _you_ actually have to do your job, what’s it matter if you drop plates and barrel into people?”

Y/N blinked, confused. “I’m… sorry? I… don’t think I quite understand what you mean.”

She let out a short bark of a laugh. “Of course you don’t! What need would you have for a brain either!”

“I beg your pardon! I apologize if I have offended you somehow, but I will not stand for being insulted like this!”

She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing and her lip curling into a sneer of pure contempt. “Oh you’ve _offended_ me, all right. You _offended_ me the second you started banging the Fire Lord, you nasty skank! Some of us around here have to actually do our _jobs_ to get paid, you know.”

Y/N’s blood ran cold, and against her will hot tears began to sting at her eyes. “W-what?”

“Don’t try to play dumb with me, whore!” she barked, making Y/N flinch. “Did you think you were being subtle, always hanging off of his arm and sneaking into his chambers at night? Don’t make me laugh. You’re a disgrace to our whole profession!” She took a few steps forward as though she were about to leave, but she stopped to add something, voice cold and eyes straight ahead. “I know you may think you’re something special to him, but at the end of the day you’re still just a cheap whore, and he’ll toss you away the second he gets married.  
“And then she stalked off, leaving Y/N still sitting on the floor, surrounded by pieces of smashed fruit tart, feeling like a knife had been stabbed into her heart.

Tears pricked at her eyes as she finally stood up, brushing herself off and cleaning up the mess she had made. She scolded herself for being so sensitive. She couldn’t listen to what that maid said; it wasn’t true! Sure, they had slept together a few times during their courtship, but Zuko loved her. And he made damn sure that she knew it. They spent so much time together just talking and enjoying each other’s company, he understood her. He loved her. She mattered to him, no matter what some bitchy, gossipy maid said.

But still… she did make _one_ point that wasn’t completely… inaccurate. Zuko would need to get married at some point, probably sooner rather than later. It seemed like he couldn’t go a single day without being hounded about getting married. It was his duty, after all, the people needed a Fire Lady. And no matter how much Y/N and Zuko loved each other, she just… couldn’t foresee that ever being her.

She suddenly didn’t feel very much like eating, so she went back to the kitchens, dropped off her dirty tray and went back to her quarters to be alone. She knew Zuko would probably be concerned that she didn’t drop by his room tonight, but she really didn’t think she’d be able to face him after that. She just wanted to be left alone for a while.

* * *

Later that evening, Y/N heard a knock on her bedroom door. She internally groaned. She really didn’t feel like dealing with Ayaka right now. She got up to go greet her and promptly tell her to go away, but when she opened the door it was not the grinning face of Ayaka that met her, but the concerned visage of Zuko. She gasped, suddenly being flooded with another wave of white-hot shame as she remembered how she completely abandoned their nightly get-together without telling him. “Oh, uh, Zuko! I, um… wasn’t expecting you.”

His frown deepened. “You didn’t visit me tonight. I mean, it’s not like you _have_ to visit me every night, but it’s not like you and I got worried. Is something wrong? Can I come in?”

She sighed and stepped out of the doorframe for him to enter. “Yes, yes, of course,” she said, shutting the door behind him. She sat down on her bed, patting the space next to her for him to come join her.

He sat down beside her and rested a gentle hand on her knee. “Is everything alright? You seem upset.”

She sighed again, debating with herself. She really didn’t want to keep secrets from him, especially when he asked her so directly and it was weighing on her heart so. But she also didn’t want to upset him by unloading all the terrible things that other maid had said onto him. And also, even though she had been awful to her, she didn’t want to get her in trouble just because she was mean. She didn’t want her relationship with Zuko to give her special privileges—that would only prove the maid’s point. But it looked like the ship of not worrying him had already sailed, and talking about it would probably make her feel better, so she conceded. “Well… it’s just that… something happened today.”

“What? What is it? Is there anything I can do?”

As much as she hated worrying him, she was still touched by his concern. “No, not really. It’s just…… while I was on my way to your room, I accidentally ran into one of the other maids and she, um, she…” She bit her lip, forcing back the stinging she felt behind her eyes. “She said some very… unkind things about you and I.”

His eyes narrowed. “Unkind? What kind of unkind things?”

“Zuko—” She grabbed his arm, more than a touch desperate as a few stray tears escaped and slipped down her cheeks. “They know about us, the other servants! Or at least that one does! A-and she said…” She sniffled. “She said such horrible things to me. She said that I was just… s-sleeping with you to get special privileges at work, th-that you don’t actually care about me and that I-I’ll get tossed out once you finally get married.” She rubbed the tears away from her eyes. “N-none of it was true, of course, I know that, I don’t doubt you, but… it still hurt. _Especially_ since none of it’s true.”

He was quiet for a moment, a look of fury passing over his face. “What said this to you?! Spirits, I’ve never heard such a disgusting rumor in my life! When I—”

“No, Zu, no,” she said placatingly. “I don’t want you to get involved. That would only make it worse. Besides, I don’t even know who she is.”

He seemed conflicted, like he wasn’t ready to drop the issue, but he sighed heavily after a moment and conceded. “…Okay, okay, I see your point. If you don’t want to make a big deal out of it then I won’t either.”

She smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Zu.” Her face fell, a shadow once again muddying her expression. “It was still just really upsetting, you know? I suppose something like this was inevitable, though.” She let out a weak, bitter laugh. “I… I just wish that there was something we could do to avoid it, that we could be together without worrying about what other people think and say.”

“Marry me, then.”

Y/N choked on air as she whipped her head back around and flung her wild-eyed gaze onto Zuko. “W-w-w- ** _what?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?”_**

His eyes widened and his face drained of all color as realization dawned on him. He groaned and rubbed his face. “Oh fuck, spirits no, this is _not_ how I wanted to go about this, this was supposed to be _romantic.”_ He shook his head, chastising himself as Y/N stared on in speechless awe. “Well fuck, too late now, I guess.” He sighed and lifted his hands away from his face, instead reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small velvet box.

Y/N squeaked, her eyes welling up with tears. Spirits, this was _really happening._

Zuko pinned her with an earnest, serious stare, taking one of her hands in his unoccupied one. “This _really_ wasn’t how I planned on doing this, but I suppose now’s as good a time as any.” He took a deep breath. “Y/N, I love you. Spirits, I love you so much I don’t know what to do with myself sometimes. And I’m so tired of having to hide it, and I know you are too. I… I’m not the best with words, but I hope you understand me when I say that I can’t imagine a life without you.” He brought his hand up to cup her face and wiped away a tear that she hadn’t realized had fallen. He smiled, his eyes filled with nothing but warm, golden love. “I want to spend the rest of my life by your side, so I’ll ask again…” He popped open the box to reveal a _stunning_ gold and ruby ring, emblazoned with the crest of the Fire Lord. “Will you marry me?”

Y/N had no words. She attempted to speak, but all that came out was a choked, watery squawk. So she didn’t speak. Instead, she nodded her head so vigorously that her neck hurt and flung her arms around his neck and hugged him so tight she was probably choking him a little and kissed him all over his face and laughed and cried into his shoulder until her voice was hoarse.

He returned her embrace with a little laugh, rubbing her back soothingly. “So… is that a yes?”

She nodded again. “Yes, yes, _yes,_ a thousand times **_yes!”_**

He pulled away from her for just a second, eyes wide. “Wait, really?” Then a wide, toothy grin stretched across his face as he let out a giddy laugh. “Oh my spirits, we’re going to get _married.”_

She smiled as well, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “Yes, yes we are.”

“Spirits, I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy in my entire life.”

“I _know_ I haven’t.”

He laughed again. “Damn, I love you.”

“I love you too.” Then she pulled him in for a deep, deep kiss filled with love and adoration and joy. Amid the exchange, he took the ring out of the box and slid it onto her finger.

When she pulled away, she had to press her hand to his chest to stop him from kissing her again so she could ask something. “So does this mean I can call Iroh ‘Uncle’ now?”

Zuko laughed, a deep, rumbly, full-bodied sound. “Knowing him, he’ll probably insist on it.”

“Good.” Her eyes softened as she looked at him. She brought her hand up to cup his cheek, gently brushing her thumb against the scarred skin. “I love you Zuko. I really do.”

He nuzzled his face into her hand and pressed a kiss there that made her melt. “I love you too, Y/N. And I am _so happy_ that I get to spend the rest of my life with you.”

“As am I, Zuko. As am I.”


End file.
